Part 37 (1/2)

'She said you were likely to be one of the last hosszu eletek'

'What an honour, eh?'

Mirroring the Fnok's actions, she reached across the table and placed her hand over his 'Are you OK?'

Gabriel looked down at her hand, withdrew his own from beneath it and nodded 'Yeah'

On the kitchen floor, Moses raised his ears Moments later, Gabriel looked towards the

'What is it?' Hannah asked, frowning

'Vehicles,' he said, rising to his feet 'Approaching the house'

CHAPTER 24

Aquitaine region, France Now Hannah leaped up from her chair the instant she heard Gabriel's words Her scalp prickled and her skin shi+vered, as if an army of beetles marched across her flesh The conviction seized her that this was finally thewith Jakab Leah's future would be won or lost today on the strength of her actions The burden of that responsibility wicked the blood froh her arteries She put her hands out to the table, her vision doubling, dizzied and overwhelht fall to the floor

'What's wrong?'

She shook her head at Gabriel No time to explain No ti part of the house The kitchen's french s opened on to the orchard and the path down to the river From here, they were blind to the approach of vehicles from the road

But there's no way Jakab can have found us Surely? I've been so careful nobody else knew about this place Just Nate and I And we kept it so secret

But that's not entirely true, is it, Hannah? Who knohat happened during your three-day disappearing act into oblivion You handed all responsibility to Seb All the checks you would have made, all the precautions you would have taken, handed to an old h any number of mistakes and you'd never knohich of the the worktop, Hannah blinked away the fog of her thoughts, forced herself to focus She had no tie decision toplace, or by keeping her close? Hoould she have felt, at the sa asked to face it alone? Hannah knew the answer to that should not influence her decision But it had been less than a week since the girl had watched her father randfather 'Leah, stay close toroo up the track that bisected the wheat fields, kicking up tails of dust froe tyres A third Q7 had parked where the trackfroanised the off the farlanced across at her A single teardrop treht eyelash as she watched the approaching vehicles 'He's co, isn't he? The man that killed Daddy'

Hannah opened her led to find any response What response was there to a question like that?

Leah turned to face her, and when she s on her eyelash spilled down her cheek 'It's OK, I'htened She swept Leah into an eirl's hair It sreen apples, of innocence and vitality, of trust and love and hope Teeth clenched, she heard herself snarl out words in a voice feral in its savagery 'We're going to beat him, Leah I promise you Today's the last ti to end this For you For Daddy You're going to be safe I pro that she was clutching the girl far too hard, Hannah kissed the top of her daughter's head and released her grip

Leah's lips were pressed together in a firm line Her face was flushed She lifted her chin and wiped the tear from her cheek 'I'm a bit scared but not too much, really I think the Bad Man should be hed at that She felt the small release of pressure fortify her 'Co I've taught you A new life starts today'

Her throat was dry, and her skin still felt as if insects crawled over it But a fire was growing inside her, fuelled by outrage that her daughter should endure emotions like these and by a detere upon them, this curse Too many lives had been lost Too many dear people

Behind her, Hannah heard the kitchen door slam She whirled around When Sebastien appeared in the doorith eva, she puffed her cheeks with relief that the intruders had not breached the house The old man's eyes were ri when he saw the 4x4s accelerating towards them

Hannah turned to the Fnok 'Could they be eletek? Your guards?'

eva shook her head 'Too many of them Too crude'

The lead Audi arrived at the crescent driveway in front of the house Losing no speed, it swerved and bounced on to the rutted trail that led to the orchard at the rear The second vehicle braked hard, sending up a shower of gravel and dust It slid to a halt a few feet froine died

A breathless stillness descended The Audi's radiator grille was so close that Hannah could hear the tick and ping of its engine block as it began to cool Sunlight sparkled off its windscreen, turning the glass into a mirror that shi+elded its occupants from view

'They're not eletek,' Sebastien said 'They're Eleni'

Hannah lifted her eyes to the ex-signeur, daring hiht Eleni here?'

His jaw tightened When he faced her, his eyes were bright with resent theed to find us'

'I had to confide in soet you and Leah out of the country Do you think I could have flown you here safely, could have avoided your naer lists, without Eleni help? I couldn't reach you, Hannah You'd shut er at hiht to hold his gaze Then she turned away fro he could to protect theht'

He batted away her apology, turning back to theas the Audi's passenger door swung open

The man who clirey hair was oiled and combed to one side, and his moustache was carefully trierated care of one whose joints pained hiht she caught a trace of apprehension in his eyes

'Oh, Goddaust

'What is it?'

'That old fool is Daniel Meyer Daniel is acadeiuys?'

Sebastien glanced at her and she saw his pained expression 'He's a good guy Whether we can trust him or not is another matter'

But you did, Seb And now he's here

And you keep blah it's not his fault

Daniel Meyer ran a finger around the collar of his shi+rt and went to the front door He knocked

To eva, Hannah said, 'That ht here with you Illes Can you reach hie'

'How quickly will he get here?'

'I can't say'

Sebastien snapped his fingers and gestured at the door 'Back into the kitchen, all of you Let me handle this I know Daniel I'll find out what he wants' To eva and Gabriel, he said, 'He doesn't know your identities He won't know that you're hosszu eletek Let's keep it like that'

Hannah searched Sebastien's eyes, willing herself to detect any trace of duplicity, any hint of betrayal, and found none She held out her hand to Leah 'Seb's right He knows these people Coo'

When she returned to the kitchen, Hannah saw fourin the plum orchard One of theaze, his eyes flat